or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
 
Express Checkout with PayPhrase
What's this? | Create PayPhrase
More Buying Choices
34 used & new from $10.99

Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
When Perfect Isn't Good Enough: Strategies for Coping With Perfectionism
 
 

When Perfect Isn't Good Enough: Strategies for Coping With Perfectionism (Paperback)

~ (Author), Richard P. Swinson (Author)
Key Phrases: changing perfectionistic behaviors, perfectionism diary, excessive organizing, The Impact of Perfectionism, Accepting Imperfection, Measuring Your Perfectionism (more...)
4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)

List Price: $17.95
Price: $12.21 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details
You Save: $5.74 (32%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.

Want it delivered Tuesday, November 17? Choose One-Day Shipping at checkout. Details
24 new from $10.99 10 used from $13.23

Formats

Amazon Price New from Used from
  Paperback, January 31, 2009 $12.21 $10.99 $13.23

Frequently Bought Together

When Perfect Isn't Good Enough: Strategies for Coping With Perfectionism + Too Perfect: When Being in Control Gets Out of Control + NEVER GOOD ENOUGH: How to use Perfectionism to Your Advantage Without Letting it Ruin Your Life
Price For All Three: $32.45

Show availability and shipping details

  • This item: When Perfect Isn't Good Enough: Strategies for Coping With Perfectionism by Martin M. Antony

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

  • Too Perfect: When Being in Control Gets Out of Control by Allan E. Mallinger

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

  • NEVER GOOD ENOUGH: How to use Perfectionism to Your Advantage Without Letting it Ruin Your Life by Monica Ramirez Basco

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details


Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Overcoming Perfectionism: The Key to a Balanced Recovery

Overcoming Perfectionism: The Key to a Balanced Recovery

by Ann W. Smith
4.7 out of 5 stars (3)  $7.88
NEVER GOOD ENOUGH: How to use Perfectionism to Your Advantage Without Letting it Ruin Your Life

NEVER GOOD ENOUGH: How to use Perfectionism to Your Advantage Without Letting it Ruin Your Life

by Monica Ramirez Basco
4.3 out of 5 stars (3)  $10.20
Perfectionism: What's Bad About Being Too Good

Perfectionism: What's Bad About Being Too Good

by Miriam Elliott
4.2 out of 5 stars (6)  $10.07
Perfecting Ourselves To Death: The Pursuit Of Excellence And The Perils Of Perfectionism

Perfecting Ourselves To Death: The Pursuit Of Excellence And The Perils Of Perfectionism

by Richard Winter
5.0 out of 5 stars (3)  $10.88
Perfectionism: Theory, Research, and Treatment

Perfectionism: Theory, Research, and Treatment

by Gordon L. Flett
5.0 out of 5 stars (2)  $37.96
Explore similar items

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

It's only natural to want to avoid making mistakes, but imperfection is a part of being human. And while perfectionists are often praised for their abilities, being constantly anxious about details can hold you back and keep you from reaching your full potential.

In this fully revised and updated second edition of When Perfect Isn't Good Enough, you'll discover the root cause of your perfectionism, explore the impact of perfectionism on your life, and find new, proven-effective coping skills to help you overcome your anxiety about making mistakes. This guide also includes tips for dealing with other perfectionists and discussions about how perfectionism is linked to worry, depression, anger, social anxiety, and body image. As you complete the exercises in this book, you'll find it easier and easier to keep worries at bay and enjoy life--imperfections and all.

"[The authors] have produced a thorough and systemic manual to lead the perfectionist out of the misery of depression, anger, worry, and social anxiety, and into the promised land of realistic self-evaluation, self-esteem, and positive interpersonal relations."
--Richard Heimberg, Ph.D., Adult Anxiety Clinic in the department of psychology at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA



From the Publisher

This revised and updated edition of When Perfect Isn't Good Enough offers the benefits of the latest research to readers who dread making mistakes and feel that nothing they do is quite good enough.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 291 pages
  • Publisher: New Harbinger Publications; 2 edition (February 1, 2009)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 157224559X
  • ISBN-13: 978-1572245594
  • Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #114,788 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

More About the Author

Martin M. Antony
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Visit Amazon's Martin M. Antony Page

Inside This Book (learn more)

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

When Perfect Isn't Good Enough: Strategies for Coping With Perfectionism
70% buy the item featured on this page:
When Perfect Isn't Good Enough: Strategies for Coping With Perfectionism 4.0 out of 5 stars (13)
$12.21
Too Perfect: When Being in Control Gets Out of Control
12% buy
Too Perfect: When Being in Control Gets Out of Control 4.6 out of 5 stars (19)
$10.04
The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook, Fourth Edition
10% buy
The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook, Fourth Edition 4.7 out of 5 stars (143)
$15.80
Overcoming Perfectionism: The Key to a Balanced Recovery
5% buy
Overcoming Perfectionism: The Key to a Balanced Recovery 4.7 out of 5 stars (3)
$7.88

Suggested Tags from Similar Products

 (What's this?)
Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product).
 
(4)

Your tags: Add your first tag
 

Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store

If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store. Learn more

 

Customer Reviews

13 Reviews
5 star:
 (8)
4 star:
 (2)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:
 (1)
1 star:
 (2)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.0 out of 5 stars (13 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
78 of 79 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent for understanding and changing perfectionism, January 28, 2004
As a psychologist working in a college counseling center, I see many students who beat themselves up with perfectionistic-type thoughts such as "If I don't get an A in this class, I'm a failure" or "I can't let my friends know I'm upset because they'll think there's something wrong with me." These destructive thoughts can have a devastating impact by leading to anxiety, depression, and a host of other difficulties, and this is the #1 book I recommend to students who are struggling with these issues.

The first section of the book, Understanding Perfectionism, helps the reader to better understand the impact of perfectionism on their life, particularly in the areas of thoughts and behavior. The second section, Overcoming Perfectionism, begins with a self-assessment designed to help the reader identify how their own perfectionistic tendencies manifest. Following the assessment, specific exercises assist the reader in identifying goals and developing a plan for change. Finally, this section offers a wide variety of strategies for changing perfectionist thoughts and behaviors.

The final section of the book focuses on specific problems related to perfectionism, with chapters on depression, anger, social anxiety, worry, obsessive-compulsive behavior, and body image. These chapters contain additional exercises, further information on coping strategies, and an overview of available mental health treatment for each concern.

I particularly like the workbook-style format of this book, as it provides the reader with personalized assistance. Reading this book is an excellent first step for anyone who is trying to understand and wanting to change their perfectionistic tendencies; it also can be used as an adjunct to therapy.

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
63 of 63 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A "Must Have" Book!, April 17, 1999
By A Customer
"When Perfect Isn't Good Enough" is a "must have" book for any individual struggling with issues of perfectionism. In this one of a kind volume, Dr. Antony challenges our glorified conception of perfectionistic thinking and behavior, exposing the many personal, occupational, and interpersonal costs of assuming that "nothing less than perfect will do." What sets this book apart from any other that I've read is its comprehensive, common sense approach to the topic, combined with a workbook format that allows the reader to apply the information to his or her own life. This was extremely powerful! In addition to providing information about possible causes of perfectionism and links to other conditions, Dr. Antony guides the reader through a personal assessment of his or her own style of perfectionism, developing a specific plan for changing perfectionistic thoughts and behaviors, and evaluating one's progress over time. The book contains numerous examples of effective self-change strategies that others have used to overcome this problem. As a clinician, I have already recommended "When Perfect Isn't Good Enough" to several clients who have found it extremely helpful. I would highly recommend this book to all individuals who would like to free themselves from the agony of perfectionistic thinking. It is an essential item for the library of every mental health professional.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
47 of 47 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A very informative, helpful and interesting book, May 24, 1999
By A Customer
This is really a great book. For a layperson like myself who's looking for an intelligent, informed discussion of perfectionism, and suggestions for how to find relief from its more negative aspects, "When Perfect Isn't Good Enough" strikes an excellent balance between an overly technical professional text and the all-too-common self-help book that's too high on fluff and too low on content. This book - which I very much enjoyed reading - is packed with useful information (and good exercises) on how to break free from patterns of perfectionistic thinking and behavior; and it contains what I thought were interesting and insightful discussions on how perfectionism ties together with depression, anger, social anxiety, worry, and other "not so pleasant" dispositions that many of us realize to some degree or other. I found the book quite helpful, and expect to get a fair bit more out of it. Antony and Swinson are clearly experts. Of all the books I've read or looked at on the topic, this one's the best. I highly recommend it.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Only 1/3 of the way through...
and the chapters are becoming less and less relevant, which I attribute to the book already helping me recognize perfectionistic drivers and not letting them get the best of me... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Reading Fan

1.0 out of 5 stars awful, useful only if you had no clue that you were a perfectionist
Hardly user friendly, though it attempts to be a book for a lay audience, it fails miserably succeeding only in writing a watered down academic article. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Rak M. Sam

4.0 out of 5 stars For all perfectionists out there
It was a blow for me when I learned that I am a perfectionist. I started reading about it, and this was my first book. Read more
Published on August 26, 2007 by Knut

2.0 out of 5 stars Quite a let down, inadequate for "discouraged perfectionists"
After reading Leman's "The Birth Order Book" and seeing that my wife and myself have been struggling with the predicted first-born power struggles and head butting for the last 10... Read more
Published on May 13, 2007 by John Q. Public

5.0 out of 5 stars What I would have written
This book contains exactly what I was looking for the past 10 years. I've learned much about myself. Read more
Published on February 9, 2007 by J. Stutzman

4.0 out of 5 stars There is help out there!
I've struggled my whole life with a number of issues: perfectionism, low self-esteem, self-destructive behaviour. Read more
Published on August 17, 2005 by Aspiring to lifelong growth

5.0 out of 5 stars Very helpful book
After reading the main part of the book, I am so grateful for having bought this book. I have been extremely depressed because of my excessive high standards toward myself. Read more
Published on April 3, 2003

5.0 out of 5 stars Extremely helpful
I worked through this book nine months ago and have since enjoyed the most productive, creative, and calmest nine months of my career. Read more
Published on March 26, 2002

5.0 out of 5 stars A "Perfect" Book
I have been a perfectionist my whole life. At school, at work, in my relationships, even my looks -- I have always tried to be perfect. Read more
Published on June 7, 2000

1.0 out of 5 stars Not helpful in the least!
The majority of this book was spent answering the question of what perfectionsm is. If you actually want to buy this book, you *know* what a perfectionist is already: you! Read more
Published on June 5, 2000

Only search this product's reviews



Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions
   



So You'd Like to...

Create a guide

Product Information from the Amapedia Community

Beta (What's this?)


Look for Similar Items by Category


Look for Similar Items by Subject

 

Feedback

If you need help or have a question for Customer Service, contact us.
 Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
Is there any other feedback you would like to provide?

Your comments can help make our site better for everyone.


Your Recent History

 (What's this?)

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.